3 ms·
From wikipedia [1]: >Atmospheric and gravity drag associated with launch typically adds 1.3–1.8 km/s to the launch vehicle delta-v required to reach normal LEO
by ThrustVectoring 9y ago
From wikipedia [1]:
>Atmospheric and gravity drag associated with launch typically adds 1.3–1.8 km/s to the launch vehicle delta-v required to reach normal LEO orbital velocity of around 7.8 km/s (28,080 km/h).
So it'll help. Also significant is the ability to base out of an airport and launch closer to the equator.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low_Earth_orbit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low_Earth_orbit
- vlasev 9y agoCombine that with the tyranny of the rocket equation and it becomes sensible.
- ThrustVectoring 9y agoRight. Reducing the delta-v by a constant amount reduces the fuel requirements by a specific percentage. The correct thing to measure delta-v savings to isn't the launch requirements, but rocket exhaust speed. That is, if your rocket exhaust speed is 1 km/s, saving a km/s of delta-v will reduce your fuel requirements by a factor of 2.718
- mLuby 9y agoLooks like mostly gravity losses [1], which I understand to be essentially "how long does it take to reach orbit". [1] https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=9959.msg189860#msg189860 https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=9959.msg18...